ZoPanel vs aaPanel
aaPanel is a free, popular toolbox for running your own server: many plugins, many operating systems, very low requirements. ZoPanel is built for selling hosting: the panel never runs as root, every account is sandboxed with its own limits, and resellers and billing modules are included. Pick aaPanel to tinker on one server; pick ZoPanel when other people's websites live on it.
| ZoPanel | aaPanel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for 10 websites; Pro $49 / year or $199 once, unlimited websites | Free edition; Pro $28.80 / month, $198 / year or $699 lifetime [source] |
| Web panel runs as root | Never: an unprivileged panel asks a root agent that accepts only a fixed list of checked actions | Yes, the panel service starts as root [source] |
| Isolation between websites | Each account has its own Linux user, PHP-FPM, and systemd sandbox with CPU, memory, process, disk and inode limits | Site files belong to the shared "www" user; PHP is fenced with open_basedir [source] |
| Installer | Signed installer you can verify before running | The documented install command uses curl -k, which turns off certificate checks [source] |
| Resellers and hosting accounts | Admin, reseller and customer roles, packages, white-label (Business license) | Sub aaPanel: sub-users with quotas for sites, FTP, databases and disk [source] |
| Billing integration | Modules for WHMCS, Blesta, HostBill and Paymenter, plus a provisioning API | WHMCS module documented for account creation and single sign-on [source] |
| Operating systems | Ubuntu 22.04, 24.04, 26.04 and Debian 12, 13 (x86-64 and ARM64) | A wider range, including CentOS, AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux [source] |
| Minimum memory | 1 GB | 512 MB [source] |
| PHP versions | 7.4 to 8.4, several per server, chosen per website | 5.2 to 8.5 [source] |
| Extensions and apps | Built-in features plus a curated Docker App Store and one-click PHP apps | App Store with dozens of plugins and a Docker manager [source] |
| Updates | Signed releases; the database is saved first and a failed update rolls back by itself | In-panel updates [source] |
| Vulnerabilities published in 2026 | See our security policy and changelog | CVE-2026-29859 (file upload), CVE-2026-113506 (command injection in the file manager), CVE-2026-113507 [source] |
Facts about aaPanel checked against its own website, documentation and source code in October 2026.
Where ZoPanel is behind aaPanel
- A much larger user base and community forum.
- Free for unlimited websites; ZoPanel's Free plan stops at 10.
- More plugins, a fuller Docker manager and a mobile app.
- Runs on the Red Hat family and on 512 MB servers.
- Older and newer PHP versions (5.2 to 8.5).
Read more
- Is aaPanel safe?
- aaPanel alternatives
- aaPanel vs CyberPanel vs HestiaCP
- Why a hosting panel should never run as root
Questions
Is ZoPanel free like aaPanel?
Partly. ZoPanel's Free plan runs 3 hosting accounts, 10 websites and 10 databases per server with no time limit. aaPanel's free edition has no website limit. Beyond 10 websites ZoPanel costs $49 a year or $199 once per server.
Can I move my sites from aaPanel to ZoPanel?
Yes. Files, databases, SSL and cron jobs move site by site; our aaPanel alternatives guide walks through the steps. Install ZoPanel on a fresh server and move a few sites first.
Is aaPanel safe?
It can be run safely if you restrict the panel port, enable two-factor login and update quickly, but the panel runs as root and sites share one user, so one flaw reaches far. Our full review lists its published vulnerabilities.
Which one is lighter?
aaPanel installs on 512 MB of memory; ZoPanel needs 1 GB. In return ZoPanel runs every account in its own sandbox with its own PHP-FPM.
Install ZoPanel free
One command on a fresh Ubuntu or Debian server. Up and running in minutes.